Scraper



F. ELLIOTT May 20, 1941.

scRAPER Filed Aug. 1o, 1959 EIB .5.... 4 lill!!! All lll!!! /NVLNToR W fwdr nt( 4 A TTORNEY Patented May 2G, 1941 2,242,459 scimmie 3 Claims.

rlhis invention relates to tools in the nature of handles for holdingblades used for cutting or scraping purposes and particularly to thosedesigned for use With discarded safety razor blades.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved utility toolusing safety razor blades.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a tool of thecharacter described, means for automatically sheathing the razor bladeduring periods when the tool is not in use so that persons may not beaccidently cut by coming in contact with the tool and the cutting ofclothing is prevented if the tool should be carried in the pocketsthereof.

A further object of the invention is toprovide, in a tool of the classdescribed, means which facilitates removal or replacement of the bladewithout the necessity of removing screws or other such attachment parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, together with the foregoing, will be specifically set forth inthe detailed description of the invention hereunto annexed. It is to lbeunderstood that the invention is not to be limited to the specic formthereof herein shown and described as various other embodiments thereofmay be employed within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a iront elevational view of the tool of my invention. Aportion of the view is broken away so as to more clearly disclose theinterior construction.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the tool. The plane in whichthe view is taken is indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view, similar to Figure 1, showing theblade in projected position and the relative positions of other parts ofthe structure. Portions of the view are broken away to shorten it.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the blade carrier. A portion of theView is broken away so as to disclose the construction more clearly.

There is on the market, at the present time, a large variety' of toolsof the scraper class which are designed to use, as cutter blades, safetyrazor blades that have become too dull for shaving purposes. The largemajority of these scraper tools provide a clamp so that the razor blademay be xedly mounted on and to project from an extending handle. Afterbeing used to perform a cutting or scraping job, these tools are usuallylaid down on a nearby shelf or bench or may be placed in a drawer untilthey are needed again. warned of, the presence of the tool in itsstorage place and carelessly pass their hands over the surfaces or intothe drawer where the tool is kept they are very likely to suffer severecuts due to their hands brushing against the exposed razor blade. Somemanufacturers of these tools, recognizing this danger, have providedmeans whereby, after thetool has been used, the razor blade may be movedinto the clamp to a position where portions of the clamp will cover thesharp edge of the blade and effectively protect persons against beingcut thereby. Usually this protection feature consists of one section ofthe two-piece blade clamp which may, upon loosening of one or morescrews or nuts, be yshifted to a position overlying the blade edge.Provision of such a device does not however render the tool absolutelysafe since there is nothing to prevent a careless user from putting itaway without bothering to set the blade shield. I have provided animproved tool of the character described which, as soon as the tool isset down after use, operates automatically to retract the blade so thatits sharp cutting edge will not be exposed.

In detail the tool comprises a head 6 having a rectangular passage 'Iextending vertically therethrough, a pair of ears 8 projecting from theopposite vertical ends thereof, and downwardly projecting arms 9, theconfronting inner surfaces II lof which are alined and coextensive withthe vertical end surfaces of the passage 'I. Disposed in the `passage 'lvand movable axially thereof is a blade carrier, best shown in Figure 5,comprising a base I2, whose length is slightly less than the distancebetween the surfaces II so that the base may slidably .passtherebetween,

having in a longitudinal side thereof a pair of parallel grooves I3which diverge downwardly with respect to each other and are eachslightly wider at the bottom than at the top as is probably best shownin Figure 3. Associated with the base I2 is a pair of sheet .metalchuclrplates I4 each having along a longitudinal edge thereof anangularly `disposed flange t5 which enters a groove i3. One of theplates lli is provided with an elongated slot Il and the other plate hastherein a corresponding embossed ridge I8 which may enter the slot I lwhen the plates are brought together. A safety razor blade I9 is placedbetween the plates I4, the latter being then brought together so thatthe ridge I 8 not only passes into If persons forget, or are not theslot I1 but also through the elongated centering aperture 2| of theblade thus locking the blade in position between the plates. Since thegrooves I3 are each wider at `the bottom than at the top thereof, asmall amount of movement of the plate iianges I6 is allowed therein thuspermitting the plates to be moved apart about a pivot point, which liesin the plane of the top of the base I2, so that the blade I9 may beinserted or removed. The blade carrier, with a blade positioned betweenthe plates I4, is placed in the head 6 with the plates I4 entering thepassage 1, the combined thickness of the plates and blade being suchthat the plates may slide freely in the passage so as to project theblade from the upper open end of the passage as shown in Figure 4 or toretract the blade below the portions of the head bordering the end ofthe passage as shown in Figure l so that the sharp edge of the bladewill be concealed.

Means is provided for moving the blade carrier between two extremes ofmovement so that the blade may be moved from concealed to exposedpositions and vice versa. Formed in the ears 8 of the head 6 areapertures into which are pressed pivot pins 22 which project silghtly ateach end beyond the face of the head and on which are pivotallyjournalled the side flanges 23 of handles 24 that are pressed from sheetmetal into U- shaped cross-sectional form. Each of the handles areprovided with an integral extension lever 26 having at the distal endthereof a notch 21. The blade carrier base I2 has, projecting fromopposite sides thereof, studs 28 with which the notched ends of therespective extension levers 26 are engaged. Each handle 24, adjacent itslower end, is provided with a pair of apertures 29 through which isthreaded, so as to anchor it to the handle, one end of a leaf spring 3|,the other end of the spring being slidably engaged in a slot 32 formedin the arm 9 of the head 6.

When the handles 24 are squeezed together, as shown in Figure 4, thelevers 26 will be swung upwardly thereby forcing the blade carrierupwardly in the passage 1 so as to project the blade I9 through theupper open end of the passage. This also flexes the springs 3|. Thesprings are so designed that, upon release of the pressure squeezing thehandles together, the springs will return to their unflexed positions,as shown in the two handles 24 are spread apart the levers 2B will swingdownwardly until the studs 28 pass outwardly from the ends of thenotches 21 thus allowing the blade carrier to be dropped to the positionindicated by the dotted lines 33. Reinsertion of the blade carrier,after the blade thereof has been reversed, so as to present a newcutting edge, or replaced, is just as simple, the y carrier being placedin the tool with the plates I4 entering the passage 1 and the handles 24being spread apart so as to permit the studs 28 to reenter the notches21.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided atool, of the class utilizing safety razor blades, which automaticallysheathes the blade immediately the tool is set down after being used sothat the users person or clothing are protected against cuts by cominginto contact with the blade, and which makes changing or replacement ofthe blade a very simple task.

I claim:

1. A tool, of the type utilizing razor blades as cutters, comprising ahead, a blade carrier separably engaging said head and movable relativethereto for moving a blade from a concealed position below a surface ofsaid head-to an exposed position beyond said surface, handles on saidhead manually engageable to move said blade carrier and'said blade fromconcealed to exposed positions, said handles-5 in a normal position ofrest being in operative engagement with the blade carrier, and saidhandles upon movement thereof beyond said position of rest beingreleased from engagement with said blade carrier.

2. A tool, of the type utilizing razor blades as cutters, comprising ahead having a passage therein, a blade carrier, including a pair ofchuck plates between which a razor blade may be engaged, slidablymounted in said passage to move a portion of said razor blade from aconcealed position within said passage to an exposed position exteriorlyof the passage, a pairof operating handles pivotally mounted on andextending from said head, said handles each being in releasableengagement with said blade carrier and being manually movable from anormal position of rest wherein said blade carrier and blade are inconcealed position to a second position wherein said blade carrier andblade are moved to exposed position, and springs associated with eachhandle for returning said handles from said second position thereof tosaid position of rest thereof.

3. A tool, of the type utilizing razor blades as cutters, comprising ahead having a passage therein and a pair of extension arms projectingfrom a side thereof and each provided with a surface coextensive withthe respective end surfaces of said passage, a blade holder comprising abase extending longitudinally between and slidably engaging said armsurfaces, said base having in the top surface thereof a pair ofparallel, downwardly diverging, grooves and studs projecting fromopposite side surfaces thereof, a pair of chuck plates each having anangularly directed flange entering the respective base grooves, means onsaid chuck plates for securing therebetween a safety razor blade, saidchuck plates being slidably engageable in said head passage, a pair ofhandles pivotally mounted on said head, arms carried by said handleseach having a notch therein in which the studs of said base may beslidably engaged whereby, upon movement of said handles, said bladecarrier and said blade may be moved along said passage, and springsassociated with said handles, said springs, respectively, being engagedat one end with a handle and at the other end with said head.

FRANK ELLIOTT.

